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Reinhold BegasGerman sculptor and artist
Date of Birth: 15.07.1831
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Initial Success and Roman Sojourn
- Teaching and Intermittent Residencies
- A Career of Commissions and Honors
- Monumental Works in Berlin
Early Life and Education
Son of an Artist and Neo-Baroque MasterGerman sculptor and painter Reinhold Begas was born to artist Karl Joseph Begas. As a leading figure in Berlin's neo-Baroque sculpture school, Begas received his initial sculpting lessons from Ludwig Wilhelm Wichmann in Berlin.
From 1846 to 1851, he studied under renowned sculptor Christian Daniel Rauch at the Berlin Academy of Arts. In 1848, he began working under Rauch's guidance.
Initial Success and Roman Sojourn
"Hagar and Ishmael": A BreakthroughIn 1852, Begas's breakthrough came with the presentation of his plaster sculpture "Hagar and Ishmael" at an academy exhibition. A scholarship funded his stay in Rome from 1856 to 1858. During this time, he encountered artists Franz von Lenbach, Arnold Böcklin, and Anselm Feuerbach.
Teaching and Intermittent Residencies
Weimar and BeyondIn 1861, Begas was invited to teach at the newly established Weimar School of Fine Arts. However, he returned to Berlin in 1863 and subsequently divided his time between Berlin, Rome, and Paris.
A Career of Commissions and Honors
Busts, Monuments, and Small SculpturesBegas received numerous commissions for portrait busts, monuments, and small sculptures. He joined the Union of German Artists in 1871 and became a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts before his death in 1911.
Monumental Works in Berlin
National Monuments and Architectural ImpactIn Berlin, Begas created monumental works emblematic of Prussian imperial Berlin. He supervised the artistic aspects of the Siegesallee and contributed two sculpture groups to the monument. His most famous works include the National Monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I (1897), the National Monument to Bismarck (1901), and the Neptune Fountain (1886-1891).
